Ok, so, not sure if this question belongs in Rules or advice, so I'm putting it here. If the PC with the Animal Companion/Special or Bonded mount dies and for some reason the critter companion lives, what happens to it?
Rules wise I can see the argument about it devolving back to it's original base creature (at least for Druid & Paladin) but what about non-magic based classes with similar critters that have become Uber-Critter because of association with heroic deeds? (my definition as to why Cavaliers mounts get better)
Once the source of the 'buff' is gone from the character dying, the creature would go back to being its 'old self.'
If the character were brought back from the dead the character could re-establish the bond with that creature, or another.
The rules don't say so it's entirely up to the GM. I would have the animal companion return to being a normal animal immediately using appropriate Bestiary stats, have it deal with any immediate threats to itself, exit combat at its earliest convenience, and then either return to the wild or continue traveling with the party or corpse of its former master if other players had wild empathy, sufficient handle animal skill, or some other way to convince the animal to hang around until the PC is raised.
If the PC isn't returning from the dead, then the animal leaves the story with the PC.
I thought that they'd just run away.
I think it might depend somewhat on the animal. Many might just wander off eventually, but for highly social animals, they might stick with the party since they are its 'pack.' I am mostly going to go with the wolf here, since they have the most predictable behavior out of most typically used AC's. If the PC gave it the defend command to follow another party member, it should generally try to continue the command.
Should they lose all of their abilities? i wouldn't think so. While there is some degree of mystical bond between them and their PC, I think it is largely just that they are particularly well trained. Obviously it would not level past this, and for balance's sake it should wander off if the party doesn't try to immediately ressurrect the PC, but why give the party two blows at once?
Agreed with Ansel in that this is a matter completely out of the rules as they are, and depend heavily on how you view the animal companion. I think it's worth pondering how you want animal companions to work in your campaign. Is it a regular animal that gains unusual powers by the druid, or is the bond basically a bond to an animal that is exceptional by itself?
Some years ago I played it as the first, and if a druid died the animal would revert to a normal animal, but in the last two years I've felt the second interpretation makes for better gameplay; the animal companions feel more like actual individuals, and the mechanic for changing animal companion works better.
Nowadays, a druid/ranger/w:e can release and call new animal companions:
" If a druid releases her companion from service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer in the environment where the new companion typically lives. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished."
This works very well thematically with interpreting the exceptional animals as already existing and powerful individuals. While neither of our rangers switch animal companions often (one doesn't have one and the other has her hunting dog which is a close personal friend), the druid often releases her animal companions when moving towards a new geographical area. She's a druid, and when she calls the lords of animals come to aid her - now that that campaign had the party move from the snowy mountains to the open highlands, she released Shariha the Wolf-Queen, bade her farewell, and called upon the aid of the legendary stallion Greenmane who now accompanies her in their adventures on the plains.
I find the first interpretation (regular animal powered by the druid) to only fit well with the "close personal friend"-style, while the other interpretation (exceptional animal bonding with the druid) works with both styles.
I like the idea of the animal companion being the next PC.
This comes from an old Champions campaign that had Captain Kill Crazy and his dog. In his first game, when the group was pinned down by a hundred Viper agents, CKC yelled "Let's charge them!" and did so. Everyone else stayed under cover, including the Captain's dog. Captain Kill Crazy was immediately killed, and the player continued the rest of the campaign as Captain Kill Crazy's Dog. I've always wanted to do something like that in D&D- say the wizard's familiar inheriting its master's power.
Here's a question: If it's "master" dies, when the master is revived(which happens in these games) do they have to re-bond their animal? If so, that's even more gold they have to pay on a revival and not fair in my opinion.
The other option is to say Companions were never released and they remain super powered till their own death. I personally am okay with that, but unless the party has a reason to stay with the party, like say the party plans to revive their Druid, they would leave themselves to return to their habitat.
So I'd do that later. Plus I sort of want to make an encounter where the players face off with the lone Companion...
Darth: Bonding with an animal doesn't cost gold, at least not for druids. It does take 24 hours, though.
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Not in disagreement with anybody here...actually expanding on the thought that it might stick around for a while (though not domesticated, if it's been with a party for a while, it could definitely share some bonding) I also think it's a great vehicle for the DM to use to create hooks...all sorts of fun stuff.
Why does it have to lose what it's gained? It's never been anything but an animal, albeit advanced...with the understanding of some new tricks. I see no particular reason why it has to forget them...and some animals can be remarkably loyal...I'd get mileage out of it.
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Darth: Bonding with an animal doesn't cost gold, at least not for druids. It does take 24 hours, though.
Ah, I hadn't realized that. Then that interpretation's not so bad but I'm still not as much of a fan though.
Animal Companion fights to avenge the death of their PC master in dishonorable guerilla combat.
"Roooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrr"
Subtitles; "you killed my master, prepare to die you SoB!"
Animal Companion fights to avenge the death of their PC master in dishonorable guerilla combat.
My archon blooded druid's gorilla would likely fight in honorable gorilla combat. Not every animal companion is a Intelligent Celestial Gorilla though.
Ideally I think they're supposed to lose whatever buffs altered them into an uber creature and go back to the wild. I find that boring however. You can always rule differently if its a home game.
Animal Companion fights to avenge the death of their PC master in dishonorable guerilla combat.My archon blooded druid's gorilla would likely fight in honorable gorilla combat. Not every animal companion is a Intelligent Celestial Gorilla though.
Ideally I think they're supposed to lose whatever buffs altered them into an uber creature and go back to the wild. I find that boring however. You can always rule differently if its a home game.
no rule supports that, but due to being unique creatures, nothing harms the game if they keep their uniqueness.
a 10HD large Jaguar is still a 10HD large jaguar, even after the bond is severed. they can still go back to the wild with their buffs and even become regional allies, but they will try to get their vengeance first.